The invention relates generally to a visual display system for vehicle operation simulators, and in particular to a visual display system for an aircraft flight simulator which provides a wide angle view of a terrain model.
Visual simulation for training aircraft pilots, automobile drivers, radar operators, and the like, is not new and closed-circuit television image generators for this purpose are also known. For a showing in the prior art of closed-circuit television image generators where the source of the image is a terrain model or models which are viewed by one or more television cameras, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,332, issued Jan. 16, 1968 to W. D. Akister et al. Such devices are superior to computer generated displays, for example, which require excessive amounts of core memory and lack details and realism. They are also superior to such previously proposed schemes as a point light source projecting a picture on the inside of a large sphere as the latter lacks variety of scenery and also sharpness and contrast. Still another system of the prior art involves projecting motion pictures onto a screen but these systems restrict the possible maneuvers to those of the aircraft which was used to take the pictures in the first place.
In the visual flight simulating system disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,332, a wide angle field of vision is provided to the pilot by the use of two separate and complete image generating and projecting systems, both responsive to operation of aircraft controls by the pilot, for producing respective front and side visual displays. Thus, two optic systems and two terrain models simulating the same terrain are required, as well as two television cameras and receivers. Also, both of the terrain models, as well as the television cameras and associated optic systems, are moved to simulate movement of the aircraft.